Engine starter jaw meshing mechanism



1951 R. E. SEARS ENGINE STARTER JAW MESHING MECHANISM 2 SHEETSSHEET 1 Filed March 10, 1950 R m w W.

RICHARD E. SEARS ATTORNEY Dec. 11, 1951 R. E. SEARS ENGINE STARTER JAW MESHING MECHANISM Filed March 10. 1950 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Tiy 'Z I t l7 40 33 40A T- 36 III 35 24 INVENTOR.

RICHARD E. SEARS ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 11, 1951 ENGINE STARTER J AW MESHIN G MECHANISM Richard E. Sears, Cleveland Heights, Ohio, as-

signor to Jack & Heintz Precision Industries, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Delaware Application March 10, 1950, Serial No. 148,889

9 Claims.

This invention relates in general to engine starters and more particularly to improvements in means for meshing the starter jaw with the engine jaw.

One of the primary objects of my invention is to provide such a jaw meshing device that will insure a smooth positively interlocked engagement of the complementary jaws of the starter and engine and avoid end abutment of the teeth of the jaws and resulting chattering without full drive engagement.

Another object is to provide such a device that will insure such proper mesh before full rotational power is applied by the starter motor to the starter jaw.

Another object is to provide in such a device a starter jaw extension means that is operable to extend the starter jaw into partial engagement with the engine jaw prior to rotation of the starter jaw and a separate means operable upon initial rotation of the starter motor to positively extend the starter jaw home into the engine jaw before rotation of the starter jaw.

Another object is to provide such a starter jaw extension means that is solenoid operated to linearly extend the starter jaw into partial engagement with the engine jaw and a separate means, operable by rotation of the starter motor, which in turn occurs after a predetermined operation of the solenoid, to positively extend the starter jaw home into the engine jaw before rotation of the starter jaw.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention resides in the combination of parts and in the details of construction, hereinafter set forth in the following specification and appended claims, certain embodiments thereof being illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a view in longitudinal section taken through the starter and the engine jaw shown unmeshed with the starter jaw;

Figure 2 is a view in side elevation of the jaws of the starter and engine shown in partial mesh and the starter jaw cam slightly rotated from the relative position of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2, showing the two jaws meshed and the starter jaw into mesh with the engine jaw;

Figure 4 is a schematic wiring diagram for the engine starter; and

Figure 5 is a view in perspective of the starter jaw operating cam.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the engine starter may include a main housing I for an electrical motor, the rotary armature Z of which is carried by a shaft 3 that is mounted to rotate in bearings 4 and 5. On the front, or right, end of shaft 3 is formed a sun gear 6 that meshes with planetary gears, such as shown in Figure 1 at 1. Each of the planetary gears mesh with alternate internally toothed plates of a stack of friction plates forming the conventional torque release device 8. Each of the planetary gears 1 is mounted to rotate about a pin 9 and thus secured to a planet carrier I0 that extends forwardly in the form of a barrel I I. The barrel I I is mounted for rotation in bearings I2 and I3 in a housing I4 removably secured to a main housing I by bolts I5. Thus, as long as the torque re-- lease 8 permits, the sun gear 6 rotates the planet carrier In which causes the barrel II to rotate.

Barrel II is provided with internal longitudinal splines and the hollow barrel of the starter jaw I6 is provided with external longitudinal splines of lesser width than the internal splines of the barrel I I to engage the same with lost motion, the purpose of which is to be later described in detail. Arranged behind, or to the left of, the starter jaw is a hollow operating cam I! that is provided with external longitudinal splines that are wider than those of the starter jaw to engage, without lost motion, the internal splines of the barrel I I.

Inside of the hollow starter jaw I 6 and cam I1 is inserted a cup I8 with a flange I9 and extending through the cup and secured to the starter jaw is a solenoid rod 20 having a spring retainer plate 2I to hold in compression, between plate 2 I and the bottom of the cup, a, coil spring 22.

The solenoid rod is mounted for linear longitudinal movement and terminates in a solenoid comprising a coil 23 and a slidable armature 24 having an outwardly flared ramp end 25.

Referring to Figures 1 and 4, when the main switch 30 is manually closed it brings the solenoid in circuit with battery 3I to energize the solenoid to move the solenoid armature 24 and solenoid rod 20 linearly to the right, against the action of spring 22. This'moves the starter cam I! and the starter jaw I6 to the right to move the teeth 32 of the starter jaw into slight initial engagement with complementary teeth 33 of the engine jaw 34. This linear movement thus far is caused by energization of the solenoid by direct current and takes place without rotation of the starter motor or its jaw. However, this movement of the solenoid'armature 24 has by this time, due to the riding of the arm 29 of plate 28 on the flared solenoid armature end 25, made contact between plate 28 and lead contacts 21 of switch box 26. This brings into circuit with the battery a solenoid which closes contacts in lines Ll, L2 and L3 of a three phase alternating current supply 35 whieh causes the rotation of the starter motor ar-mature 2. The arrangement is thus an interlocking micro switch which effects the rotation of the starter motor armature and starter jaw only after a predetermined extent of starter jaw linear extension by the solenoid 23, 24, and its starter jaw operating rod 20.

Now, referring to Figures 2, 3 and 5, the left portion of the hollow barrel of the starter jaw is partially cut away between its splines to leave the latter extending as prongs. In the example shown, the starter jaw l6 and the cam I! each have six external spline teeth. As stated before each of the spline teeth of the starter jaw I6 is of less width than that of the space between the internal splines of the planet carrier driving bar,- rel l to provide for lost motion therebetween in either rotative direction. Each of the external spline teeth of the cam ll, however, is-largerthe spline teeth oi the starter jaw I6. and mates, without lost notion, with the internal splines of the drivingbarrel II, The spline teeth of the cam l! are uniform inwidth butalternately three of them are plain while alternately the other three are provided withlgngitudinally extending prongs whose side edges are so formed as to provide ramps that are longitudinally ino ino fvith' r fs o o ook oe ro ion of the cam ll as indicated by thearrow in Figures 2 and Nq ma y. s show n Fi re 11; whe the starter jaw us is nfully retracted position, h rom dpi s o ih 'o m ."an e p n o jl looplinod ooth o tho to riaw. inte to bottom ,therebetween, Figure 5 shows cam ii to have three alternate plain teeth 36, 3"! and nons nse alte nate t oth to nd 4 w h lo awoi o ooa on. on a 1A w moli s romeo 4 B a d. 4 3- a sail d roto s-i ls ac o or the len id and solenoid rod is to line ly move the starter jaw and cam forwardly to the right until bare engagement of the starter jaw and engine jaw takes place, at which time the interlocking switch is operated to bring the three phasealternating current supply into circuit to rotate the starter motor and hence the planet carrier barrel 5 l. Rotation of the cam I! begins simultaneously, but not rotation of the starter jaw I6, be causeof the lost motion provided for by the relatively narrow splines on .thestarter jaw. Figure 2 shows the cam l1beingrotatedclockwise in the direction of the arrow relatively to the starter jaw. Four of thesix starter jaw splines are shown at $2, 43, 44 and 45. The corresponding internal spline of the driving barrel 1 l bears against the upper edge 46 of ramped prong 4! of the cam I7 but in Figure 2 this internal spline of driving barrel i I has not as yetengaged .the upper, or trailing, edge 41 ofs art r jaw plin 54 and hence the starter jaw is not asyet under rotational drive by barrel H. With the cam I! thus under rotational drive, the rampA 1 B of spline 4 l rides on the upper, or trailing, edge 4]. of,spline M from its position shown in full lines to that shown in dotted lines to effect the longitudinaldisplacement ofthe starterjaw and cam shown in dotted lines in, Figure 2, the efiect f which is to force the starter jaw 16 ,deeperintq engagement with the engine jaw 34. This relative rotation of the cam I! with the starter jaw l 6 continues untilthe upper, or trailing, edge 45 of cam spline 4| becomes aligned with the upper, or trailing, edge 4'! of starter jaw spline M, as shown in Figure 3. When this occurs, the starter jaw has been fully extended and meshed with the engine jaw so that the planetary gear carrier driving barrel it rotates the cam I? and starter jaw l6 jointly and consequently the engine fin sured before a full speed rotational drive is effected bythe starter jaw. Operation of manual switch 3D energizes the solenoid, to be operated by D. C. current, to cause its rod 29 to linearly extend the starter jaw 16, against the influence of spring 22, into slight engagement with the en gine jaw. This is strictly a linear movement which a pos bl r ul i a h o-ono tm of the ends ofjtheteethof two jaws, instead of the desired slight initiaLengagement. After this predetermined distance of linear travel of the solenoid red the flare 2 5 of the sliding solenoid armature 24 trips the micro switch to energize the threephase A. C. supply 35 to rotate the starter motor rotary armature 2, This rotates the sun gear 6 and, through theplanet system, thedriving planet carrier barrel I l which, in turn. rotates cam 11 without any lost motion.

, In contrast to conventional starting systems, th e solenoid rod is net fully depended upon to establish jaw mesh and rightfully so because pure linear movement of the starter jaw is too apt to bring about head-on abutment of the jaw teeth, instead of interlocking mesh. Thecam and inter= locking micro switch are therefore reliedupon to establish this final and complete ja -W mesh before the driving barrel It is in full rotational driving engagement with the starter jaw. As the cam is being fully rotated by thebarrel, and before the latter fully engages the trailing edges oi the relatively narrower splines of the starter 331W) the cam acts to linearly extend the starter jaw, while at the same time, due to frictional drag, slightly rotatesthe starter jaw to insure the teeth of the starter jawbeing, able to interlock those of the engine jaw and avoid head-on abutment and resulting chattering. It follows that upon releasing switch 30 to open the circuit, the sole noid becomes deenergized, spring 22 forces the solenoid rod 29 back to the left, the micro switch is opened, the starter motor stops and the starter jaw resumes its retracted position of Figure 1 to await another manual switch operated engine starting cycle.

I claim:

1. In combination in an engine starter, an elec tricalrotary drivingmotor and a source of eur rent for operatingthe same, a starter jawaiid an engine-jawrmanual switch operated electricai meansfor linearlyextending said starter jaw into partial 'rnesh' with said 1 engine jaw, switch means so arranged with respect to said electrical means as to. be-automatically operated after a predetermined linear travel of said starter jaw for energizing said motor, a sleeverdriven by said motonsaidstarter jaw being so constructed and arranged with respect to said sleeve as. .to be driven, with lost motion, by said sleeve, a cam member mounted in said sleeve coaxially with oia 191W, a d oo onstr o oda a ran withrespect to said'sleeve as to, be driven by saidsleeve without lost motion, said cam member having earn means so constructed and arranged with respect to said starter jaw that, upon rotation of said cam by said sleeve, prior to the rotation by the latter of said starter jaw, means are provided to linearly extend said starter jaw into full mesh with said engine jaw prior to full rotative drive of said starter jaw by said sleeve.

2. In combination in an engine starter, an electrical rotary driving motor and a source of current for operating the same, a starter jaw and an engine jaw, manual switch operated electrical solenoid means for linearly extending said starter jaw into partial mesh with said engine jaw, switch means so arranged with respect to said electrical means as to be automatically operated after a predetermined linear travel of said starter jaw for energiizng said motor, a sleeve driven by said motor, said starter jaw being so constructed and arranged with respect to said sleeve as to be driven, with lost motion, by said sleeve, a cam member mounted in said sleeve coaxially with said starter jaw and so constructed and arranged with respect to said sleeve as to be driven by said sleeve without lost motion, said cam member having cam means so constructed and arranged with respect to said starter jaw that, upon rotation of said cam by said sleeve, prior to the rotation by the latter of said starter jaw, means are provided to linearly extend said starter jaw into full mesh with said engine jaw prior to full rotative drive of said starter jaw by said sleeve.

3. In combination in an engine starter, an electrical rotary driving motor and a source of A. C. current for operating the same, a starter jaw and an engine jaw, manual switch operated D. C. current electrical means for linearly extending said starter jaw into partial mesh with said engine jaw, switch means so arranged with respect, to said electrical means as to be automatically operated after a predetermined linear travel of said starter jaw for energizing said motor by said A. C. current supply, a sleeve driven by said motor, said starter jaw being so constructed and arranged with respect to said sleeve as to be driven, with lost motion, by said sleeve, a cam member mounted in said sleeve coaxially with said starter jaw and so constructed and arranged with respect to said sleeve as to be driven by said sleeve without lost motion, said cam member having cam means so constructed and arranged with respect to said starter jaw that, upon rotation of said cam by said sleeve, prior to the rotation by the latter of said starter jaw, means are provided to linearly extend said starter jaw into full mesh with said engine jaw prior to full rotative drive of said starter jaw by said sleeve.

4. In combination in an engine starter, an electrical rotary driving motor and a source of A. C. current for operating the same, a starter jaw and an engine jaw, manual switch operated D. C. current electrical solenoid means for linearly extending said starter jaw into partial mesh with said engine jaw, switch means so arranged with respect to said electrical means as to be automatically operated after a predetermined linear travel of said starter jaw for energizing said motor by said A. C. current supply, a sleeve driven by said motor, said starter jaw being so constructed and arranged with respect to said sleeve as to be driven, with lost motion, by said sleeve, a cam member mounted in said sleeve coaxially with said starter jaw and so constructed and arranged with respect to said sleeve as to be driven by said sleeve without lost motion, said cam member having cam means so constructed and arranged with respect to said starter jaw that, upon rotation of said cam by said sleeve, prior to the rotation by the latter of said starter jaw, means are provided to linearly extend said starter jaw into full mesh with said engine jaw prior to full rotative drive of said starter jaw by said sleeve.

5. In combination in an engine starter, an elec trical rotary driving motor and a source of current for operating the same, a starter jaw and an engine jaw, manual switch operated electrical means for linearly extending said starter jaw into partial mesh with aid engine jaw,switch means so arranged with respect to said electrical means as to be automatically operated after a predetermined linear travel of said starter jaw for energizing said motor, an internally splined sleeve driven by said motor, said starter jaw having external splines to mate, with lost motion, with the splines of said sleeve, a cam mounted in said sleeve coaxially with said starter jaw and having external splines to mate directly with those of said sleeve without lost motion, said cam member having cam means so constructed and arranged with respect to said starter jaw that, upon rotation of said cam by said sleeve, prior to the rotation by the latter of said starter jaw, means are provided to linearly extend said starter jaw into full mesh with said engine jaw prior to full rotative drive of said starter jaw by said sleeve.

6. In combination in an engine starter, an electrical rotary driving motor and a source of current for operating the same, a starter jaw and an engine jaw, manual switch operated electrical solenoid means for linearly extending said starter jaw into partial mesh with said engine jaw, switch means so arranged with respect to said electrical means as to be automatically operated after a predetermined linear travel of said starter jaw for energizing said motor, an internally splined sleeve driven by said motor, said starter jaw having external splines to mate, with lost motion, with the splines of said sleeve, a cam mounted in said sleeve coaxially with said starter jaw and having external splines to mate directly with those of said sleeve without lost motion, said cam member having cam means so constructed and arranged with respect to said starter jaw that, upon rotation of said cam by said sleeve, prior to the rotation by the latter of said starter jaw, means are provided t linearly extend said starter jaw into full mesh with said engine jaw prior to full rotative drive or" said starter jaw by said sleeve.

7. In combination in an engine starter, an electrical rotary driving motor and a source of current for operating the same, a starter jaw and an engine jaw, manual switch operated electrical means for linearly extending said starter jaw into partial mesh with said engine jaw, switch means so arranged with respect to said electrical means as to be automatically operated after a predetermined linear travel of said starter jaw for energizing said motor, an internally splined sleeve driven by said motor, said starter jaw having external splines to mate, with lost motion, with the splines of said sleeve, a cam mounted in said sleeve coaxially with said starter jaw and having external splines to mate directly with those of said sleeve without lost motion, said cam and starter jaw having loosely interlocking end prongs, inclined ramps on the side edges of said cam prongs so constructed and arranged with respect to said starter jaw that, upon rotation of said cam by said sleeve, prior to the rotation by the latter of said starter jaw; means-rare provided to linearly extend said starterx-jaw into full mesh with said engine jaw prior torful'l' rotative: drive of said starter jaw :by 'saidsleevea :8; Incombinationinanengine starter, an 8160? trical: rotary. drivingv motor :and aisource of A. C. current for operating the same, a starter jaw and anengine jaw; manual switch operated D. C. current electrical means' for linearly extending saidstarterjaw into partial mesh with said engine jaw, switchzmeans so: arranged with respect to: said electrical means as to be automatically operated. after a predetermined linear. travel of said starter'jaw for-energizing said motor by said A. .C.rcurrent:supply; an internally splined sleeve driven by said motor, said starter jaw having external' splines :to' mate, with lost motion with the splines of said sleeve,-acam mounted insaid sleeve coaxially withsaid starter jaw and having external splines to mate directly with those of said sleeve rwithout lostmotion, said cam and starter jaw havingrloose'lvinterlocking end prongs, inclined rampsonthe sideedges of said cam prongs soconstruoted and arranged with'respe'ct to said starter jaw that; uponrotation of'said cam by. said sleeve, prior tothe'rotation by'the latter of said starter jaw, means are provided to linearly extend said starter-jaw: intofull mesh with said engine *jawprior tofuil rotative drive ofsaid starter a-w by said sleeve.

9. In combination in an engine starter, an electrical rotarydrivingmotoranda source of A. C. current for operating the same; a starter jaw and an engine jawpmanual' switch operated D. C. current electrical. solenoid means for linearly ex-' tendingsaid starter jaw into partial mesh with said-enginejaw, switch mean so arranged with respect to said electrical means as to beautomatically operated after-a predetermined linear travel of said starter jaw for energizing said motor by said A. C. currentsupply, an internally splined sleeve driven by said motor, said starter jaw having external splines to mate, with lost motion, with the splines of said sleeve, a cam mounted in said sleevecoaxially with said starter jaw and having external splines to mate directly with thoseof said sleeve without lost motion, said cam andsta-rterjaw having loosely interlocking end prongs-inclinedramps on the side edges of said cam prongs so constructed andarranged with respect to said starter jaw that, upon rotation of said cam by said sleeve, prior to the rotation by the latter of said starterjaw, means are provided to linearly extend said starter jaw int full mesh-withsaid engine jaw prior to full rotative driveof-said starter -j aw by said sleeve.

\ RICHARD E. SEARS.

4 REFERENCES CITED 'Ihe following references are of record in the file of this patent:

' UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,288,373 -Bendix, Dec. 17, 1918 1,939,405 Nardone Dec. 12, 1933 1,942,573 Sekellas Jan. 9, 1934 2,222,568 Newton Dec. 19, 19 10 2,354,844 T- hornburg Aug. 1, 1944 2,446 297 Nardone Aug. '3, 1948 

